


Tall mocha to stay

by Skye_La



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Meet-Cute, Multi, Swan Queen Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-09 01:10:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3230564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skye_La/pseuds/Skye_La
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coffee shop owner Emma strikes up the courage to ask out her favourite customer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tall mocha to stay

Emma pushed her glasses up her nose and looked at the clock on the wall. She checked her watch too to see if maybe the clock was wrong.

“It’s 2.45” Katy said pointing to the time displayed on the electric till.

“Yeah” Emma said and picked up a cloth to wipe coffee grinds off the wooden counter.

“She late today?” Katy asked, watching her with an amused look on her face.

Emma sighed and looked back at her.

“Is there something you could clean? A table to clear?” Emma asked her

“No boss, I already did them. There’s nothing to wash and I swept the floors twice. It’s the post-lunch lull. Have you had your break yet? Unless you want me to cook you something to eat, your maj, I’m going to stand here and watch you rearrange the syrup bottles” Katy crossed her arms and leant on the wall with a wry smile.

Emma stopped moving the syrup bottles around and frowned at Katy.

“Oh, she’ll probably be in soon. It’s Tuesday, right?” Katy said, now sympathetic seeing Emma was not in the mood for playing.

“Yeah” Emma said “She’s usually been and gone by now though. Maybe she’s not coming. It’s fine.” 

Emma picked up a pencil and ran a quick stock check of the food they had on display. She glanced up at the door and saw the group who had been sitting in the window leave. She looked back at her list then looked up again. Her favourite customer walked in after them.

“I’ve got this one” Katy said to rile her.

“Katy, wanna clear that table?” Emma said, practically pushing her away from the till.

Katy laughed “sure boss” 

“Hi there” Emma smiled brightly at the woman who now stood on the other side of the bar to her.

“Hi” she replied, she looked like she wasn’t in a great mood, but Emma was just pleased to see her. She liked how unimpressed she always looked, how nicely she dressed, how her dark hair flicked away from her face and how her voice seemed to rumble like thunder.

“Let me guess” Emma said “tall mocha, no cream, to stay”

The woman looked back at her in shock. Emma glanced at Katy who was taking an exceptionally long time to clear one table. She saw that she was actually sitting in one of the armchairs grinning maniacally at Emma.

“How did you know that?” the customer asked

“Well” Emma started “It’s a bit late in the day for your morning triple shot americano, and it’s not that long after lunch so I would guess you don’t want your grande skinny cappuccino with no chocolate. I would probably go for something sweet for an afternoon pick- me-up. You don’t seem like the hot chocolate type and you never get cream. And the ‘staying in’ was a hopeful guess”

The woman’s eyebrows were raised and she looked like she was suppressing a smile.

“Maybe I should have just said ‘magic’” Emma said, looking down an picking a label off the till that probably should have stayed there.

The woman laughed “No, that was much more impressive”

Relief rippled through Emma, though she still felt nerves buzz in her chest like a swarm of bees. She was suddenly warm, sweltering actually. She hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“Why do you want me to stay in?” The woman asked

“I haven’t taken my break yet, and if you did decide to stay and keep me company, your drink might be on the house” Emma felt her heart beating in her throat.

The woman smiled and looked down. Emma glanced at Katy whose jaw was on the floor.

The woman looked up at her, maintaining the beautiful smile Emma had rarely seen before.

“What an offer” she said, looking at Emma as if really seeing her for the first time. Emma felt the immediate urge to straighten her clothes, brush the grinds off the apron tied around her waist and check her eyeliner.

“Is that a yes?” Emma asked

“Sure” the other woman replied with another sparkling smile. Emma felt blinded, like she couldn’t look at her for too long.

“Great” she said. She pushed the pencil she held through her ponytail and turned to start making the drink. She steamed the milk and glanced at the woman in the reflection of the coffee machine. She was still smiling but now to herself. Emma beamed and closed her eyes for a moment.

“Hey” Katy said, appearing at her side as Emma poured the milk into the espresso chocolate milk, shaking the jug as she poured to produce a leaf pattern.

“Will you show me how to do that sometime?” she asked.

“Yeah” Emma replied and smiled at Katy. “I’m going on my break” she said

“So I heard” Katy said under her breath and nudged Emma with her elbow.

“Here you go” Emma put the drink down on the counter. 

The other woman thanked her, took the drink and turned. Emma pulled her apron off and threw it into the back. She grabbed a sandwich without looking at what it was and followed the other woman, practically hopping up the stairs behind her.

“My name’s Emma by the way” Katy heard her say

“Nice to meet you Emma. I’m Regina”


End file.
